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'Mum's tears had dried up by the end I think! I thought I was just sweating'

England flanker Tom Curry. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Tom Curry’s mum was reduced to tears when confronted by the sight of her son gushing blood from a wound on his forehead in England’s rout of France.

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The gruesome image of Curry playing with his face and jersey covered in blood evoked memories of Three Lions hardman Terry Butcher, who was similarly soaked during a World Cup qualifier against Sweden in 1989.

At 20-years-old, Curry would not be born for another nine years when the famous photo of Butcher was taken and the Sale openside had to be told who the England defender was by forwards coach Steve Borthwick.

It took six stitches to patch Curry up in the 44-8 victory at Twickenham and he returned to the fray with the greatest harm suffered by his mum Susanne.

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“My mum’s tears had dried up by the end I think! Mum was asking me on Tuesday night if my head was all right, but everything is fine,” Curry said.

“My mum’s been trying to get me to wear a scrum cap for 20 years. She’s definitely pushing for it now. Everyone was actually surprised how small the cut was given how much blood there was.

“I thought I was just sweating, then it came up on the big screens and the whole crowd went: ‘Oooh’. It wasn’t painful at all. It didn’t even swell up.

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“Everyone said I had to go off for a head injury but it really didn’t hurt. I didn’t realise and I think I just head-butted the full-back.

“I’ve heard about Terry Butcher now. We spoke about him. But if I had been shown a picture I wouldn’t have known that was Terry Butcher. Now I’ve seen the photo, I know!”

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Curry has been magnificent in England’s triumphant start to the Championship, producing two ferocious defensive shifts and proving effective as a carrier.

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The nation’s long search to unearth a genuine openside is finally over and in typical fashion two have come along at once with rival Sam Underhill only absent from the squad because of an ankle injury.

To accelerate his development, Curry studies footage of greater players in the position in the search for tips while confident in his own strengths.

“I’m not a fan of just focussing on one person because obviously you’re your own person and have your different traits,” he said.

“Michael Hooper, David Pocock and Francois Louw is obviously up there. George Smith’s been a big one as well.

“I just look at everyone’s individual games, taking little bits and forming almost like Frankenstein – you take bits that you might enjoy and push away stuff that you don’t.

“So there’s definitely aspects that you can take but you’ve got to realise what’s good for you.”

England are assessing the fitness of loosehead prop Ellis Genge after he was forced to withdraw from training because of an ankle issue.

Press Association

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Jon 11 hours ago
The case for keeping the Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby Pacific

I have heard it asked if RA is essentially one of the part owners and I suppose therefor should be on the other side of these two parties. If they purchased the rebels and guaranteed them, and are responsible enough they incur Rebels penalties, where is this line drawn? Seems rough to have to pay a penalty for something were your involvement sees you on the side of the conned party, the creditors. If the Rebels directors themselves have given the club their money, 6mil worth right, why aren’t they also listed as sitting with RA and the Tax office? And the legal threat was either way, new Rebels or defunct, I can’t see how RA assume the threat was less likely enough to warrant comment about it in this article. Surely RA ignore that and only worry about whether they can defend it or not, which they have reported as being comfortable with. So in effect wouldn’t it be more accurate to say there is no further legal threat (or worry) in denying the deal. Unless the directors have reneged on that. > Returns of a Japanese team or even Argentinean side, the Jaguares, were said to be on the cards, as were the ideas of standing up brand new teams in Hawaii or even Los Angeles – crazy ideas that seemingly forgot the time zone issues often cited as a turn-off for viewers when the competition contained teams from South Africa. Those timezones are great for SR and are what will probably be needed to unlock its future (cant see it remaining without _atleast _help from Aus), day games here are night games on the West Coast of america, were potential viewers triple, win win. With one of the best and easiest ways to unlock that being to play games or a host a team there. Less good the further across Aus you get though. Jaguares wouldn’t be the same Jaguares, but I still would think it’s better having them than keeping the Rebels. The other options aren’t really realistic 25’ options, no. From reading this authors last article I think if the new board can get the investment they seem to be confident in, you keeping them simply for the amount of money they’ll be investing in the game. Then ditch them later if they’re not good enough without such a high budget. Use them to get Jaguares reintergration stronger, with more key players on board, and have success drive success.

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